A Star Is Born Page #10

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"Get your long face

"Go, go, go and get your long face lost"

- I'm Mr. Niles.

- Yes, come in.

Mr. Niles, we're expecting you.

My name is Harrison.

Come into the reception room

and make yourself comfortable.

Mr. Maine'll be right down.

Thank you.

Hello, Oliver.

- Welcome to Liberty Hall.

- Hello, Norman.

Shall we go through there?

Sit down.

You don't think someone'll come strolling

in here...

...and start telling us he's Napoleon

or Julius Caesar, do you?

No.

Nevertheless, I think we'd find it

a little cozier in the sun porch.

Now, Cuddles, Mr. Niles isn't slipping me

a case of scotch.

He's just gonna sit with me.

Oliver, this is Cuddles, my social secretary.

We go everywhere together.

How are you feeling?

I'm coming along splendidly,

so Cuddles tells me.

He says you ought to see

some of the boys.

Let's sit down.

Cuddles, we really don't need you.

Touching, isn't it?

He can't bear to have me out of his sight.

You comfortable here?

Comfortable?

Why, it's positively luxurious.

Why, we even have steel mesh

on the windows to keep the drafts out.

How much longer do you think

you'll be here?

I'm really cured now,

only I'm just staying on...

...an extra week or two

until I get into really good shape.

After all, there isn't any great hurry

to return to the cameras.

That's what I want to talk to you about.

I have a script here.

It has a fine part for you in it.

Why, that's great Oliver.

Who plays opposite me?

Well, it isn't exactly the lead, Norman.

Young Pemberton's doing that.

But I'll tell you frankly, I consider your part

better than the lead.

I see. Better than the lead.

Of course, it isn't terribly long. It's one

of those parts that make an impression.

They'll be thinking about you

all through the picture.

The thing is, Oliver,

that I'm pretty well set at another studio.

I'm not at liberty at the moment

to tell you which one.

You know yourself how those things are,

but it's big, big.

It's one of the biggest pictures of the year.

As for the part, every actor in Hollywood

would give his eyeteeth to play it.

That's fine, Norman, that's fine.

Naturally, that'll tie you up for a while.

However, we're not getting to this

for some time.

Perhaps you'd consider it for later on.

Don't count on me.

I have several pictures lined up.

Then they're talking to me about England.

You know they're doing

some interesting things...

What is it, Cuddles?

Speak right out. We all love you.

Your dinner.

Oh, yes.

We dine here at 5:30.

Makes the nights longer.

I'll be toddling along, Norman.

Supposing I just leave this.

Maybe you'll be able to come up with

some ideas even if you don't play the part.

Oh, sure. Sure.

Nice to see you doing so well, Norman.

I shall be out of here in no time.

I'll have to introduce myself all over again

to a lot of people.

They won't know me

when I'm not drinking.

Goodbye, Oliver.

Thanks for dropping in.

All right, Cuddles.

Alone at last.

Your attention, please.

In this race, No. 5, La Golondrina,

three pounds over.

The total weight, 112 pounds.

No. 7, Royalty, two pounds over.

The total weight, 114 pounds.

Hello, Bert.

Hello, Norman.

- Marian, how are you?

- Fine, fine.

- Hi, Sammy.

- Hello, Norman. How are you?

I think this one.

Yes...

After all, he's never won before.

You can give him a chance.

Well...

Your attention, please.

The horses are coming on the track.

Hello. Haven't seen you around

in a long time.

No, I've been resting. Ginger ale, please.

Yes, sir. Ginger ale and what?

Ginger ale and ginger ale.

New leaf?

A whole new book.

Thanks.

Scotch.

Hello, Libby. Haven't seen you

in a long time.

- What do you like in the third race?

- Well, it's Mr. America of yesteryear.

Do they let you wander around now

without a keeper?

I'm a trusty now.

I suppose you'll be here all the time

now that you've retired...

...from the hurly-burly of the silver screen.

Another scotch.

We're staying down at Malibu now

and it gets pretty lonesome...

...with Esther away working all day.

- I wouldn't squawk if I were you.

It's nice having someone in the family

making a living.

Go a little slow, Libby.

I don't want to forget that we're friends.

Friends, my eye!

Listen, I got you out of your jams...

...because it was my job

not because I was your friend.

I don't like you. I never did like you.

Nothing made me happier than to see

all those cute little pranks of yours...

...catch up with you and land you

on your celebrated face!

Pretty work. Always wait till they're down,

then kick them.

Listen, you got yourself fixed nice

and comfortable, you got no complaints.

You can live off your wife now.

Drunk again.

He's been drunk for years.

Come on, we'll miss the next race.

- How does Vicki stand him?

- She must feel sorry for him.

Let's not us get involved.

Scotch.

Double.

Esther, you'll make yourself ill.

Try and get a little sleep.

Four days. He's been gone

for four days now and not a word.

I can't.

I can't.

Hello.

No, this is Oliver Niles speaking.

What?

Thank heaven.

He's all right, Esther. He isn't hurt.

Where?

In the night court? Thank you.

He's been arrested on a drunk charge.

I'll go right down and try and get him out.

I'm going with you.

That's no place for you.

If the newspapers get it, it'll be bad...

What do I care about that now?

Were you able to do anything?

The judge says he'll get as fair treatment

as anybody else.

And that's all he'd say.

Cigarettes out. Please, rise.

Face the flag of our country.

Come on, keep moving.

Line up here.

Come on, come on, line up.

All right, fellows, let's go.

Come on. Right down there.

Hats off, cigarettes out.

Hurry it up, come on.

Come on, hurry up. Hurry it up.

Single file line, face the judge.

Face the judge. Hurry it up.

Second line right down there.

Single file.

Hurry it up.

Take your hat off.

Hurry it up, fellows.

Take your hat off.

Come on, let's go. Hat off.

Hurry it up, fellows.

I want to advise you that you're entitled

to be represented by counsel...

...to be confronted by the witnesses

that testify against you...

...to a public and speedy trial

by the court or by a jury...

...and the right to be admitted to bail.

Do you understand that?

"William Gregory."

"Plain drunk. Picked up at Fifth and Towne

asleep in the gutter.

"Fourteen similar offenses

in the past six months."

How do you plead?

I don't feel so good.

I didn't ask you how you feel.

I said, "How do you plead?"

Guilty, I guess.

When did you get out the last time?

Just before Christmas.

You'll have to miss New Year's,

but you'll be out...

...in time for Washington's birthday.

Sixty days.

"Ernest Gubbins."

Gubbins?

"Drunk and disorderly. Crashed car

into tree at Sunset and Coronado.

"Evidently been drinking for days.

"Resisted arrest and injured one

of the arresting officers."

How do you plead?

Guilty.

Were you Norman Maine the actor?

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